


When Sunrise Comes Early

by mytardisisparked



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Other, and mentions of perverts, because the world is kinda sucky right now and I like to feel the happy brain juices, but it will still be in chronological order, gonna be a feel-good fic for the most part, mild TW for child drinking, not super plot heavy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:28:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mytardisisparked/pseuds/mytardisisparked
Summary: Sheev Palpatine makes a fatal error and Anakin Skywalker makes a universe-changing decision.Basically- Anakin tells Obi-Wan about the night the Chancellor takes him to a bar and it majorly messes up Sheev's 5,000-step plan for taking over the galaxy.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 80
Kudos: 435





	1. Dawn of Change

Obi-Wan blinked, hardly believing the words coming out of his padawan’s mouth; not really _wanting_ to believe the words coming out of his padawan’s mouth.

“Chancellor Palpatine.... took you to a _bar_?”

Anakin nodded, not quite meeting Obi-Wan’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Master, I didn’t really know what to do so I just let him. He was being so kind and I didn’t know how to say no.”

Obi-Wan felt a tug at his heart. He kneeled before Anakin and rested gentle hands on his shoulders, causing the distressed young man to finally look him in the eye. “Anakin, this is not your fault, and I am glad you told me. The Chancellor had no right to take you there and put you in a place where you were not comfortable.” Obi-Wan sighed. “Or a place where you were too young to even get in the front door,” he muttered under his breath. 

He wanted so desperately to have words with the Chancellor. Nothing would make Obi-Wan feel better about the fact that the man had taken his young charge out _drinking_ , but marching into the Chancellor’s office and reaming him a new one would certainly be a good start. That, however, wouldn’t be very Jedi-like of Obi-Wan, and it probably wasn’t a wise move in terms of making sure actual consequences would be dealt. He would have to talk to the Jedi Council about this and see what could, and should, be done.

But first: Anakin.

Obi-Wan smiled at the teary-eyed 14-year-old and patted his shoulder. “Thank you for being honest with me, Anakin. I’m very proud of you.”

The boy sniffled, but still gave him a half-smile. “Thanks for not getting mad.”

Obi-Wan grinned. “This was not your fault, however, I’m sure you’ll find some other way to try my patience when we resume training.”

Anakin grinned wickedly. “I _have_ figured out a new move I want to show you.”

Obi-Wan stood and ruffled his padawan’s hair. “I’m looking forward to seeing it.”

__________

“The Chancellor did _what_?”

Obi-Wan had never seen Mace Windu outraged and, frankly, it was a bit frightening.

“Believe me, I wish it weren’t true, but Anakin would not lie about something like this.”

Mace and Yoda turned to look at one another, a silent message passing between them as the rest of the council murmured quietly, bits of their whispered words meeting Obi-Wan’s ears.

“What sort of man-”

“-his intentions couldn’t have been-”

“-not appropriate at all-”

“Poor Skywalker must not have known what to do.”

The conversations died down as Yoda tapped his stick on the floor.

“Troubling, this news is, but, I’m afraid, unsurprising. Underhanded, the Chancellor has always seemed. Too long, has he been in office.” Yoda ran a hand over the wispy, white hairs along his green scalp. “Perhaps an opportunity this will be, to encourage a vote of no confidence.”

The whispers that had filled the room moments ago returned at a higher volume.

“I understand that this was an inappropriate move on the Chancellor’s part,” Ki-Adi-Mundi said, “but we are not politicians! We cannot make political moves like this; it isn’t our job.”

“And what, pray tell, is our job?” Adi Gallia spoke up from her seat. “We shouldn’t be too involved in politics, yes, but we are also meant to be keepers of the peace. If the Chancellor is willing to manipulate a 16-year-old with incredible strength in the Force, what other lines is he willing to cross?”

Other chatter filled the room, voices overlapping until no one could be understood. Obi-Wan tucked his cloak tighter around himself, wishing very much that someone would excuse him while the council discussed this matter thoroughly or, at least, that they would allow him to remove himself from the very center of the room. 

“Enough.” Mace Windu’s commanding voice silenced the others in an instant. “No matter what your thoughts are on the politics of all of this, we all must agree that the Chancellor’s actions towards young Skywalker cannot go without consequence.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I believe that the best course of action from here is to let the Senate know what we know and allow the Senate to act as they see fit. I know that the majority of the Senators might like Palpatine, but they absolutely will not stand for this near-perverted act.”

Much to Obi-Wan’s relief, the rest of the room nodded in agreement.

“It’s settled then.” Mace leaned back in his chair again. “I’ll go before the Senate tomorrow morning and we will see what they decide.”

_________

The Senate was positively shocked when Mace Windu stepped in front of them and told them what the Chancellor had done. Some of the Senators demanded more definite proof, but the security holograms from the city that Obi-Wan himself had pulled the day before, depicting Palpatine walking with Anakin Skywalker through the underbelly of Coruscant, were enough evidence to cause almost the entire Senate to call for Palpatine’s removal. Even if they weren’t demanding a vote of no confidence now, the idea had already been implanted in everyone’s mind that the Chancellor was a pervert. No one would be proposing an extension to his term next election season.

As shocked as the senators were, however, no one seemed more surprised than Palpatine himself. 

As Mace had recounted Skywalker’s tale, the Chancellor had gone positively white, his facial expression shifting rapidly between shock, confusion, anger, and outrage. He had the look of a man watching his hand-built house burn to the ground as the Senate voted him out of office, replacing him with Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan.

As he was escorted out of the Senate, however, Mace and Obi-Wan felt his mood change. He became eerily quiet; his earlier shock completely vanished, leaving only a disconcerting silence that made the Jedi feel very uneasy. They left him at his apartment door, informing him that he would be escorted to his office tomorrow to retrieve his things. As they left, Palpatine simply smiled, and wished them a good night.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Obi-Wan muttered as he and Mace began working their way back to the Jedi Temple through the dark streets of Coruscant. “That went too well; Palpatine was too compliant.”

Mace nodded. “I agree. The Jedi will keep an eye on him as he moves back to Naboo over the next week, but I’m considering keeping a permanent watch there for the foreseeable future. The cloud of the Dark Side hangs around him.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “That seems wise.”

They walked in silence for a moment.

“How is your padawan handling all of this?” Mace asked quietly.

“He’s... fine. His trust in the Chancellor has been broken, which leaves a wound that will take time to heal but,” Obi-Wan sighed, “he is quite resilient. That being said, I think he needs to be around people who he can trust right now. I worry that this event will bring up latent trauma from his years as a slave.”

Mace nodded. “I think that might be wise.” He was silent a moment longer. “Does he still miss his mother?”

Obi-Wan’s heart clenched. “Yes. He doesn’t speak about her as often as he used to, but I can still sense his desire to see her again sometimes when he meditates.”

The older Jedi simply hummed in response, leading Obi-Wan up the front steps of the Jedi Temple.

As the two Jedi slipped through the towering front doors they immediately froze, eyes meeting. Something was wrong.

A disturbance in the Force.

They took off as fast as they could, racing up the stairs to find the source of the disturbance in the council chambers. As they flung the massive doors open, they saw Adi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Yoda surrounding a dark figure with their lightsabers drawn, meeting the flashes of a red saber with a speed only the Force could provide. In one corner, Yaddle lay, holding a small, clawed hand to a wound in her side. And finally, at the center of the room was a dark figure, fending off the three Jedi masterfully, his dark presence filling the room to the point where it was nearly suffocating.

A dark Lord of the Sith was attacking the Council Chambers.


	2. The Midnight Garden

Obi-Wan didn’t really remember igniting his lightsaber and jumping into the fray, but he must have, otherwise he would not currently be Force-pinned against the wall by a Sith Lord.

The other Jedi were in similar positions around the room, save for Yaddle, who was still unconscious. When the Jedi had finally overwhelmed the Sith, he had thrown them all back, holding them with such a power that not even Yoda was able to work his way out of the Dark Lord’s grasp.

Obi-Wan gasped for air as the Sith squeezed their diaphragms harder, like an invisible snake constricting its prey. 

_How on earth can someone be so powerful?_ Obi-Wan thought, even as his mind grew hazy.

The dark figure cackled. “Incredible. Who would have thought that crushing the Jedi Order would have been so _literal_?” 

Obi-Wan could hardly see now, what with all of the spots swimming around his vision. Somewhere, so distant, he thought he heard Mace say something, but it hardly mattered now. The Sith had been too powerful for them to defeat and Obi-Wan was just... so... tired...

Suddenly, a voice broke through, shocking Obi-Wan into full consciousness.

“Master?”

With some difficulty, Obi-Wan raised his head and looked toward the entrance of the council chambers where Anakin stood, utterly shocked, as he took in the scene.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan wheezed, “run!”

But Anakin didn’t listen, he rarely ever did. He swiveled his gaze to the dark figure at the center of the room, fury blazing in his eyes. “HEY!”

The dark hood rustled as the Sith turned to look at the young boy, snickering. The mouth that was just visible under the cloak opened to speak, but he never got a chance to talk; Obi-Wan watched in surprise as Anakin thrust his hands out in front of him, throwing the cloaked man to the ground.

In that split second of the Sith’s confusion, he relinquished his grip on the Jedi masters and they sprang into action, pinning him to the ground. Underneath the pressure of their hands and the Force, he snarled wildly.

Mace Wind squatted by the dark figure’s head and pulled the hood of his cloak back.

Obi-Wan wished he could have been surprised to see the face of former Chancellor Palpatine underneath, but, in truth, he had never trusted the man, and, after his recent actions, it made sense. The only thing Obi-Wan could feel was a growing sense of horror at how close to his padawan the Sith Lord had come. The intent behind his actions was now terrifyingly clear - he planned to turn Anakin Skywalker to the dark side.

Obi-Wan walked over to his padawan and pulled him into a hug, carefully keeping himself between Palpatine and Anakin.

“Mr. Palpatine, didn’t we just drop you off at your apartment?” Mace said, looking over the face of the Sith without much expression. 

“Foolish child!” Palpatine directed his attention to Anakin, who was now peeking out from behind Obi-Wan’s back. “I could have saved her! I could have saved your mother!”

Obi-Wan felt Anakin’s grip tighten on his robes.

Mace gave Palpatine a disgusted look. “Let's get him into a prison cell with Force-binders and inform the Senate of what’s transpired here.”

Palpatine went utterly still and strangely quiet as the Jedi hauled him out of the council chambers. As they left the room, he looked over his shoulder at Anakin and Obi-Wan and gave a low laugh that set Obi-Wan’s hair on end.

“Foolish. Both of you.” His eyes met Obi-Wan’s. “I could save him, you know. I could bring him back.”

An image flashed through Obi-Wan’s mind, for just a moment, of a very tall man with kind eyes and a warm smile who was looking fondly upon a small boy at his side, ruffling his auburn hair.

The Jedi pulled Palpatine out of the doorway and the vision ended, leaving Obi-Wan feeling terribly cold.

Mace kneeled next to Yaddle. “She’s alive, but she will need a healer.” He spoke quietly into his comm link, calling one up.

Obi-Wan glanced down at Anakin, who was huddled by his side.

“Obi-Wan.” Mace drew his gaze away from the boy. “Why don’t you take a moment with your padawan and then come find me in the garden.” He glanced down at the boy, looking a bit concerned. “I think we have a few things to discuss.”

Obi-Wan nodded and placed a gentle hand on Anakin’s back. “Come along, let's get you to bed.”

Both of them were quiet on the walk back to Anakin’s room, but the emotions rolling off of Anakin in the Force told Obi-Wan enough. Fear, guilt, and just a tiny seed of anger - Anakin’s thoughts were of his mother.

Obi-Wan ushered the boy inside and directed him to sit on his meditation mat. The Jedi settled himself across from him, folding his legs neatly.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan spoke quietly, “thank you for helping tonight. You did well.”

Anakin’s eyes flashed up to his master’s, surprised. “You aren’t mad?”

“Why would I be mad? You saved my life.” Obi-Wan smiled.

“But I-” Anakin looked away. “I got angry. I’m still angry. He hurt Jedi and he had the nerve to bring up my mom-”

Obi-Wan stopped him with a gentle look. “It’s alright to get angry; what really matters is what you do with your anger. The moment has passed and Palpatine is in custody.” He rested a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You can let those feelings go now.”

Anakin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slowly releasing it. He reopened them after a moment and looked at Obi-Wan. “I’m still kinda angry.”

Obi-Wan grinned. “I know. Let’s go get something from the kitchens and see if that helps.”

With a shining grin and a bit of a skip in his step, Anakin leapt up and darted out the door, Obi-Wan following closely behind with a laugh.

\------------

Having gotten his padawan a snack and successfully convincing him to go to sleep, Obi-Wan trudged up the stairs toward the garden where Mace was already waiting.

“How is he?”

“He was upset, but we worked on letting emotions go a bit and I think he will be alright in the morning,” Obi-Wan sighed.

Mace nodded and began walking, motioning for Obi-Wan to follow.

“I’ve been thinking about Anakin’s mother lately.” The older Jedi looked contemplatively up at the night sky. “Does he still ask about her?”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “Sometimes, but not often. He mostly tells stories about things they used to do when he was younger.” He bit his lip. “I do believe he thinks of her more than he lets on, though. I can often sense her in his thoughts during meditation and when he dreams.”

They were quiet for a moment.

“Why do you ask?”

“I think it might be of some benefit to young Skywalker if we found a way to free his mother.”

The younger Jedi’s eyebrows shot up, but he said nothing, waiting for Mace to go on.

“You’ve mentioned on more than one occasion that he struggles with balancing his emotions. He harbors fear and anger deep inside. I believe that the knowledge that his mother is free would ease his mind a great deal and help open him up more to his training.” He folded his arms against the night’s chilly air. “There are a lot of logistical issues that we would need to work out, of course. Namely, how we would free her since the Republic, and therefore, the Jedi, cannot directly interfere. We would also need to figure out where she could live. I don’t think she should live too close by since that might distract Anakin and encourage too much attachment.” The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. “But these are all things we can work out as we go. What are your thoughts on the matter?”

Obi-Wan was stunned. Mace didn’t usually show this much individual care for any of the Jedi, let alone the young padawan he continued to remind everyone he didn’t trust. 

“I think this is an excellent idea.” Obi-Wan swallowed and smiled. “Anakin is a very caring person; knowing that his mother is free and cared for would, I believe, ease his sense of duty to her and allow him to focus more on his studies.”

“Excellent.” Mace smiled, the first true smile Obi-Wan had ever seen cross his face. “Let's keep this quiet for now, but we should start work right away. With the Senate focused on the case of Palpatine and his Sith affiliation, it will be easy to work on planning and executing a way to free Shmi Skywalker without interference.”

Obi-Wan’s face darkened for a moment. “What do you think will happen with Palpatine?”

Mace stopped walking and sat down on a bench along the path, suddenly looking ten years older. “I don’t quite know. The Senate will either vote to imprison or execute him. I’m not entirely certain how imprisonment will work; we don’t have the technology to hold a powerful Sith lord for an extended period of time.” He sighed. “That being said, I’m not fond of the idea of executing an unarmed man either, Sith or not. The public might feel the same way. Even if we tell them Palpatine is a Sith, they likely won’t understand the magnitude of that term; they have only ever seen him do good things for the Republic, save, of course, for his indiscretion with your padawan.”

“It _is_ a predicament.” Obi-Wan settled on the bench next to him. They were quiet for a moment as Obi-Wan thought, an idea forming in his mind. “Master, do you remember the year-long mission I had with Master Jinn? The one where we were charged with protecting the Duchess of Mandalore?”

Mace raised an eyebrow. “Of course.” 

“Well, during that year, the Duchess would often share stories of when the Mandalorians fought the Jedi. She told me once that they used to have some sort of prison cell that rendered Jedi incapable of accessing the Force and utilizing it in any way.” Obi-Wan ran a hand over his beard. “Sa- the duchess mentioned that, when she regained her throne, she planned to destroy the devices, but it might be worth asking if there are any still in existence. Or, if they are gone, we might be able to find the schematics to build one to hold Palpatine.”

Mace was quiet - Obi-Wan could practically hear the wheels of his mind spinning. 

“That might be a possibility. I’d say it's worth looking into. Are you still connected with the duchess?”

“I- ah, I haven’t spoken to her since that mission, but we were close for the duration of that year.” Obi-Wan thanked the moon for being waned enough to not reveal the flush of red he knew was creeping up his neck.

“Good. We will send you and your padawan to Mandalore to speak with Duchess Satine about the possibility of using one of Mandalore’s Force-suppressing prisons.” Mace stood. “We will need access to the device as soon as possible if we are to suggest it as a possibility to the Senate, so you will need to leave tomorrow morning.” He turned and gave Obi-Wan a softer look. “Once you return, we can continue to discuss the situation with Shmi Skywalker.”

He wished Obi-Wan a good night and left the young Jedi, stunned, on the garden bench.

_Mandalore?_

Obi-Wan ran a hand through his ginger locks. 

_Satine._

He felt his heart start to pick up speed and tried to channel the calm energy of the Force to slow it back down. There was absolutely no need to panic. Sure, he hadn’t seen Satine since he was 19 and there had been some lingering resentment between them for a variety of reasons, but she would certainly be able to function like a professional adult, and so could he. 

And yet, as Obi-Wan looked up at the great expanse of stars and planets above the gardens, he had the nagging sense that he was already in over his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for the support you showed on Chapter 1 of When Sunrise Comes Early. Seriously, It means more than I can express. I apologize that it has taken some time for me to release the second chapter, but I was struggling to figure out exactly what I wanted to happen next (and also I had final exams so that was a fun interlude in my life yee yee). I have a solid plan now though, and I’m excited to share it with you guys!
> 
> BTW- I originally published the first chapter to say that Anakin was 16, but I made an edit and changed his age to 14 because it felt better. Just wanted to clear that up.


	3. High Noon on Sundari

Obi-Wan sighed as he watched Anakin eagerly walk towards their transport, almost bouncing with excitement. He had woken his apprentice up early this morning to tell him they were leaving for Mandalore straight away, and Anakin had been overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the concept. Obi-Wan hadn’t seen the boy this excited since he took him to Ilum to get his kyber crystal. 

Having not slept a wink last night, Obi-Wan was tempted to tell Anakin to calm down a touch, but after the events of the last three days he just couldn’t bring himself to squash his padawan’s joy. 

“GoodmorningMaster!” Anakin yelled as he rushed forward and stood at the edge of the ramp leading up to the ship. “Are we ready to go?”

Obi-Wan smiled. “Go ahead and get the engine fired up, I’ll be along in a moment.”

With one last gleeful look, Anakin raced inside, leaving Obi-Wan shaking his head fondly. 

“It’s nice to see him smile.” Mace Windu walked up and stood next to the younger Jedi, staring at the spot where Anakin had disappeared. 

The redhead turned to look at him, a bit confused. “Yes, it is.” Obi-Wan bit his lip. “Master, I don’t mean to be rude, but why are you suddenly so invested in Anakin? Up until now, you have made it very clear that you don’t trust the boy.”

A flash of animosity passed through Mace’s eyes for a moment but it was gone in less than a second, replaced by something akin to regret. “This incident with the Chancellor has made me... more aware of the value of your padawan and of being invested in our young charges.” He looked Obi-Wan in the eye. “I’ve realized that children like Anakin need support; if that doesn’t come from us, then people like Palpatine will step in to manipulate them for far more nefarious purposes.”

Obi-Wan gave him a small smile. “That’s quite the revelation.”

Mace merely nodded. “Best of luck on your journey, Kenobi. May the Force be with you.”

“And with you.” Obi-Wan bowed and headed inside the ship, closing the ramp behind him. 

Anakin had sucessfully started the engine and was relaxing in the copliot’s chair, tinkering with some small device. Obi-Wan settled into the pilot’s seat and carefully lifted off, following the traffic lane out of the atmosphere before setting their coordinates and entering hyperspace.

Once the stars were streaking past them, Anakin set his project down and leaned forward in his chair. “So, why are we going to Mandalore?”

“To meet with the duchess and see if she will allow us to use a Mandalorian Force-Prison,” Obi-Wan said as he fiddled with a few controls. 

Anakin’s jaw dropped. “We’re meeting the Duchess of Mandalore?”

His master chuckled and turned to look at him. “Yes, but it isn’t like you haven’t met royalty before. Remember Queen Amidala?”

Suddenly, the boy turned bright red and couldn’t seem to meet Obi-Wan’s eye. “Uh, yeah, I remember Padme.”

The Jedi raised a brow, but decided not to ask. “Well, you will treat Duchess Kryze with the same respect with which you were taught to treat Queen Amidala. Maybe even more so; Mandalorians can be quite strict.”

Anakin looked less enthusiastic now. “Of course, Master, I don’t want to mess this up.”

Obi-Wan rested a hand on his shoulder, smiling. “I have every faith that you will do well.”

 _Myself, on the other hand..._ Obi-Wan thought. _Let’s hope I can avoid any... awkwardness._

The flight to Mandalore was not incredibly long, though Anakin claimed it felt like their landing sequence alone took three hours. Once they had landed, they were greeted by guardsmen who lead them to a speeder and drove them to the palace.

As they flew above the streets of Concordia, Obi-Wan fidgeted with the edge of his robe. Mace had contacted the duchess before they had left and she was willing to meet, but that did not guarantee that she would, by any means, be _pleased_ to see him. 

The entire flight to the system, Obi-Wan had been wrestling with varying emotions. On one hand, he knew that the duchess was a passionate woman with a penchant for arguing who likely still held Obi-Wan in some level of contempt, based on how things last ended between them. On the other hand, the prospect of seeing Satine again excited Obi-Wan, stirring up feelings he had done his best to forget over the last 12 years.

Obi-Wan sighed for the 20th time that morning and rubbed his temples. He already had headache and he hadn’t even spoken to the duchess yet.

The speeder pulled up to the front doors of the palace and Obi-Wan turned to Anakin. “I will do all the talking once we get inside. Just follow my lead when it comes to bowing and be respectful if the duchess asks you any questions.”

Anakin nodded seriously. “Yes, Master.”

Obi-Wan smiled and patted him on the shoulder before they headed inside.

As soon as the doors opened to the throne room, Obi-Wan’s heart stopped.

There she was, sitting on the throne before him, giving the Jedi the same condescending look she wore the first day they had met so long ago. She was a bit taller now, and her features had grown from girlish to womanly, but time and age had only made her more radiant. 

Despite all of this, Obi-Wan, by the mercy of the Force, continued walking without a change of pace or expression, which he considered a definite victory, especially when considering the fact that Satine’s expression hadn’t changed upon seeing him whatsoever.

As the Jedi approached the throne, Obi-Wan dipped into a bow and was thankful to see Anakin following suit out of the corner of his eye.

“Welcome, Jedi.” Satine’s lilting voice seemed to pull Obi-Wan back up into a standing position. “I hope your trip here wasn’t too unpleasant.” Her tone was somewhere between bored and hostile, but Obi-Wan was, for the first time in his life, finding it difficult to read her true emotions.

“It was wholly unexciting, thankfully.” Obi-Wan gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “We thank you for welcoming us, Duchess Kryze.”

At the mention of her title, Obi-Wan almost thought he saw her flinch, but she stood and stepped down from the dais quickly enough that he couldn’t be certain.

“Well, Master Windu said in his call that this matter you have come to speak of is rather urgent, so we will meet with my councilors in about an hour for you to present your case.” She opened her mouth to say something more, but was interrupted by a flash of red rushing into the room and skidding across the floor to come to a stop not far from where they stood. Obi-Wan was barely able to register that it was a boy a few years younger than Anakin before the excited child began to speak very quickly.

“Auntie! Come quickly, I need to sho-” The boy’s bright blue eyes suddenly grew wide. He quickly pulled himself up into a respectfully straight posture and clasped his hands behind his back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had a meeting today.”

Satine took a deep breath and gave Obi-Wan a tight smile. “My apologies, Master Jedi.” She gestured to the boy and he moved to Satine’s side. “This is my nephew, Korkie.”

Obi-Wan smiled at the boy and bowed. “Hello there, I’m Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Korkie grinned back and gave a little bow in return. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Satine didn’t quite smile, but her face looked a bit less severe. That minute shift in her aura made Obi-Wan’s heart race.

“Hi! I’m Anakin!” Obi-wan turned to see his padawan waving at the Duchess and Korkie with a massive grin on his face. “I’m Master Kenobi’s padawan.”

“Cool! What’s a padawan?” Korkie’s eyes lit up as he took in the other boy.

Anakin opened his mouth to reply, but the Duchess jumped in. “Why don’t we let Korkie and Anakin get acquainted while you and I take a walk to discuss things before the meeting?” She smiled at the two boys.

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan gleefully as Obi-Wan nodded his consent. “Try not to get into any trouble, Anakin.”

“I never do, Master!” Before Obi-Wan could comment on the massive untruth of that statement, the two boys were headed down a hallway off of the throne room, chattering incessantly. 

Obi-Wan couldn’t help but smile after them. “I hope Korkie is prepared for Anakin to talk his ear off.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Satine stepped closer to his side, “unless Anakin is unprepared to answer hundreds of questions.”

He turned to her and found her smiling. He offered her his arm. “Well, shall we take a walk?”

She took his arm. “Yes, the gardens are this way.”

They stepped out into the bright sunshine, the scent of lilies enveloping them. 

“It’s a warm day. We best stick to the shade, seeing as we both have fair skin and a proclivity to burn.” Obi-Wan smirked and lead them both to a shaded walking path.

Satine smiled. “Oh yes, I remember the days where we wouldn’t be able to sleep because we were utterly roasted by the sun.”

“And Qui-Gon would be sitting there, laughing at us as he just got tanner.” Obi-Wan chuckled. “And we just looked like tomatoes.”

She shook her head. “Oh, I could have kicked him for all his mocking.” She laughed, the sound warming Obi-Wan from the inside out, bringing back fond memories of sitting around fires and telling stories late into the night, irritating Master Jinn with inside jokes that they refused to explain. “Korkie was just like us, growing up, getting burnt at just the slightest touch of sun.”

Obi-Wan turned to look at her curiously, finding her suddenly blushing. “Korkie seems like a very nice boy. Is he Bo’s son?”

Satine turned her head to look at a long drooping tree. “No, he was my brother’s child. They died when he was a baby, so I have been taking care of him.”

“Ah.”

She turned back to him. “I didn’t know you took on a padawan.”

“I wasn’t planning on taking one quite yet, but,” he swallowed, growing more serious, “Master Qui-Gon made me promise to train Anakin before he died.”

Satine bowed her head. “I had heard about Qui-Gon’s passing. I was very sorry-” She swallowed and wrung her hands. “I know I knew him for only a year, but he really was like a father to me during that time.”

“We have that in common then, I suppose.” Obi-Wan gave her a sad smile. 

She looped her arm through his again and they continued walking. “So, Master Windu said you were here about a matter that would effect the entire galaxy.” Just like that, she was back to being the perfect image of professionalism.

Obi-Wan straightened. “Yes, I can explain it all in the meeting, but we have captured a dangerous Sith Lord.”

Satine’s face grew grave. “That is... troubling news. I’m sure my council will be very interested to hear more about it.” They turned down another path, falling silent for a few moments. In the distance, they could hear Korkie and Anakin talking excitedly, which made them both smile.

As subtly as he could, Obi-Wan studied Satine’s face, noting the sadness she carried under that moment of joy. Ruling had not been easy on her, he knew that just from reading the Mandalorian headlines, but he was pleased to see that the criticism and opposition had not extinguished her fire, for within that sadness, he could see the same Satine he had known when he was a child. She was the same and, yet, somehow, even more.

This, however, was not the same Satine that had coldly dismissed him on the platform the last day he had spent on Mandalore. This was not the Satine that had insisted she did not care for him, no matter how she might have acted before that fateful day.

 _So what_ did _happen the day we said goodbye?_ he wondered. _Was all of that just an act to make parting easier? Or did she really not care for me as deeply as I cared for her?_

“How old is Anakin?” Satine asked suddenly, shaking Obi-Wan out of his thoughts.

“He just turned 14. He has been under my care since he was 9. Qui-Gon found him on Tatooine during our last mission.”

“He was orphaned, then?”

Obi-Wan’s mouth straightened into a thin line. “Not exactly.”

Satine stopped and gave him a look. “So he was taken from his family?”

He sighed, turning to face her. “He and his mother were slaves of the hutts. Qui-Gon tried to bargain for their freedom, but he was only able to secure Anakin’s release.”

She scoffed. “So, what, you left his mother behind? You took the boy away from his family?” Her porcelain cheeks began to color.

Obi-Wan raised a brow and put a hand on her shoulder to calm her. “We did, but Master Windu and I are currently attempting to devise a plan to free her.” Satine stiffened a bit at his touch, but the redness of her cheeks faded. He glanced down at where his hand was resting and quickly snatched it away, realizing his impropriety. After clearing his throat and regaining the little composure he had let slip, he went on. “We agree that Anakin will fare better knowing his mother is safe. The problem we are running into is that we cannot interfere with Tatooinian affairs, no matter how much we may hate slavery. If the Jedi go to free her, we risk starting a war with the hutts that may lead to more harm than good.”

Satine looked into his eyes, but he could tell that she wasn’t really looking at him; she was thinking. “If you were to send someone to the planet to purchase Anakin’s mother, someone not tied to the Republic, might that resolve your predicament?”

Obi-Wan fixed her with a hard look. “Satine, what are you suggesting?” Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized he had used her first name without thinking, but he was far too concerned with whatever the duchess was plotting to correct himself.

Her focus seemed to snap back into the present. “I could go to Tatooine and purchase the boy’s mother, bring her back to Mandalore, and free her. Mandalorians are fond of bringing rescued people into their families, so I am certain we would find her a suitable place in our society where she would be loved and cared for.”

“I don’t dislike your plan, and I agree that it solves many of our problems, but I’m not sure that sending you personally to Tatooine is the best idea.” Obi-Wan took a step closer. “The hutts would have no qualms with kidnapping a high-profile politician for ransom.”

Satine raised a brow. “I know how to go about unnoticed, Obi-Wan.”

He eyed her massive headdress. “Do you?”

She scowled. “Need I remind you that it was _you_ who drew attention to us when we were running from the bounty hunters on Darl? I never once gave our position away during that year.” She paced a short distance away. “I would go in disguise and keep this information to myself; the less people that know about this, the better.”

Obi-Wan walked up behind her, touching her elbow gently. “Are you sure about this? I would hate to put you at risk.”

She turned to meet his worried gaze with a soft, yet determined, look. “I will not stand aside while the mother of your pupil suffers. This is a risk I am more than willing to take.”

He gave her a small smile. “Then I know better than to try and stop you.”

“As you should.” She smiled back before straightening and stepping out of his touch. “We can work out the details of this later; it’s time to go meet the council and hear your story.” With that, she turned and walked back towards the throne room.

Obi-Wan watched her go, feeling strange emotions racing through his mind and heart. After a moment, he shook his head and followed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! This chapter was kind of an in-between chapter where not a lot happened, but I really wanted to take some time to set the tone of Satine and Obi-Wan’s relationship while also setting up some things to come. 
> 
> I would really like to thank everyone who has been keeping up with this story; I received a lot more positive feedback on this than I ever expected. I am overwhelmed by all the support. Thank you all for reading and commenting! It means the absolute world to me ❤


	4. Clouded Horizons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. So, this is super delayed, and I am very sorry about that. You see, I kind of wrote myself into a bit of a corner and I was struggling to figure my way out of it. SOMEBODY *glares at Satine* hijacked my story and SOMEBODY ELSE *glares at Mace Windu* did some unexpected things in the narrative that presented a greater challenge in making the story flow than I was prepared for when I began. Now that I have worked my way past that roadblock, I am hoping to provide more regular updates. I can’t guarantee it because I am an easily distracted housecat, but I will do my best and I WILL NOT abandon this story! Thank you once again to everyone who has stuck with this fic, commented, and given me encouragement. I love yall so much.
> 
> TL;DR- I’m sorry I suck at updating and I’m going to do better.
> 
> Now, on with the story.

It didn’t take long for Obi-Wan to tell the story of how Palpatine had been captured and explain why they needed the Force-suppressing prison. Throughout his short speech, the Mandalorian council, seated in a semicircle around him, remained silent and unexpressive. 

“This is a matter of galactic security,” Obi-Wan said as he wrapped up, “not just an internal Republic, or even Jedi, affair.”

After a moment of silence, Satine rose from her throne. “Thank you, Master Kenobi. We will take some time to discuss what you have told us.”

Obi-Wan tried not to allow himself to become annoyed at the lack of an immediate reaction from the council. Instead, he bowed to the room and took a step back from its focus, looking to Satine for direction.

“Isatol.” She said, summoning the straight-backed guard from just behind her. “Please escort Master Kenobi and his foundling to their quarters.” The duchess’s eyes met Obi-Wan’s with a kind but firm look. “I will summon you when we have reached a decision.”

“Thank you,” Obi-Wan bowed again and watched in approval out of the corner of his eye as Anakin did the same thing. 

The guard lead them down a series of hallways that Obi-Wan frantically attempted to memorize as he matched the quick pace of their tall escort. Eventually, they reached a door that the towering woman opened with a graceful sidestep, allowing the Jedi and his apprentice to enter. 

Obi-Wan struggled to keep his jaw from dropping as he took in the loveliness of their quarters. The ceilings were gracefully sloped and creme-colored, which assisted the floor-to-ceiling windows along the far wall in making it feel as if they were outside rather than in. The furniture was simplistic, but elegant; perfect for a Jedi and padawan to meditate. There was a small kitchen where they could make caf or tea, and two bedrooms off of the main room, each with its own bath. The layout and decorations were clearly designed to keep the mind of the resident clear - it was evident that Satine had chosen this room specifically with the needs of a Jedi in mind. 

The corners of Obi-Wan’s mouth turned up, unbidden.

Anakin’s reaction was a bit more explosive. The boy gasped dramatically and stepped into the room, spinning around to take it all in.

“It’s huge!” He gaped up at the tall ceiling as Obi-Wan shook his head fondly. 

“Yes, Anakin, thank you for stating the obvious,” he teased with no venom. “Why don’t you go unpack?” He gestured to where their rucksacks were already sitting on the floor.

The boy scampered off and Obi-Wan turned back to the door, starting a bit when he realized that the guard was still standing there, studying him with an impassive face. 

“Ah, thank you, Isatol.” He gave an awkward bow.

The woman inclined her head in return. “Of course, Master Kenobi.” She straightened quickly and looked him over again, still revealing none of what she was thinking through her face. “You are the Jedi Duchess Satine traveled with during the war.”

That had not been a question, but Obi-Wan still blinked and responded: “Yes. I was a padawan at the time - an apprentice to Master Qui-Gon Jinn.”

Isatol looked him hard in the eyes. “Then you know, as her former guardian, the kind of danger she faces daily from those who oppose her rule. They way people try to manipulate her.”

“I do.”

“Then also know that, as captain of her guardsmen, I will do whatever I must to protect her from _any_ matter of harm.” 

Puzzled, Obi-Wan simply nodded. “I understand.”

To his surprise, the woman cracked a half-grin, though it was not entirely friendly. “There is much you _don’t_ understand, Master Jedi. Very much indeed.” Her face returned to it’s neutral starting point. “You have been away from her side for longer than you may realize.” 

Confusion growing, Obi-Wan watched as Isatol turned away with a bow and headed back down the hall, her short, dark hair swishing as she went.

_Well, that was... threatening?_

With a shake of his head, he closed the door and focused back on Anakin, who had just emerged from one of the bedrooms.

“This place is amazing, Master! I love Mandalore!” He grinned and flopped down on the couch.

Obi-Wan smiled gently and kicked the boy’s boots off of the couch, sitting in their place. “It is a lovely city, to be sure.” He paused. “I’m glad to see that you and Korkie got along well.”

Another enthusiastic grin. “Yeah, Korkie’s pretty cool! He’s a little stuffy, but he has a really nice tooka and knows some cool trees to climb in the gardens.”

“I’m glad you two had fun.”

“How about you and the duchess?” Anakin sat up to look his master in the face. “Did you two have a nice talk?”

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a side-eye, gauging his intentions. “Yes, it was nice to catch up with an old friend.”

Thankfully, Anakin didn’t seem to have any underlying suspicions about the nature of his relationship with Satine, as he simply nodded at Obi-Wan’s response and began to talk about the afternoon in fast-paced, intensive detail that made Obi-Wan’s head spin.

The longer the day drew on, the more nervous Obi-Wan became. If this was not an immediate decision, then there had to be conflict. Conflict amongst Satine’s council might not spell good news for the Jedi.

Finally, several hours after they had left the council to debate, Isatol and another tall, redheaded guard came to fetch them back to the throne room. 

The occupants of the throne room greeted them with neutral faces as, once again, Obi-Wan was lead to stand in the center of their half-circle.

“We have come to a decision.” Satine spoke from her throne, her tone even. “We will allow the Jedi Council to use our Force-suppressing prison to hold the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious.”

Obi-Wan felt some degree of relief, but it was far overshadowed by the impending “but” he could sense was approaching.”

“However,” _ah, there it is_ , “we feel that, as a neutral system and the owners of this device, the captured Sith Lord should be kept on Mandalore.”

Obi-Wan’s stomach twisted. “I’m afraid the Jedi Council will not be too keen on that idea; Sith fall under Jedi jurisdiction, so we should be the ones to watch over him. That is why we would prefer to keep Sidious on Coruscant.”

One of the light-haired advisors leaned forward. “Be that as it may, this revelation and unmasking of the chancellor has proven that the Republic has some degree of higher-level corruption. We do not trust that the powers of the Sith Lord will not be exploited for nefarious uses.”

Obi-Wan tried not to bristle; he knew that there was some degree of truth to the statement but he didn’t particularly feel that Mandalore had anything to say about corruption when their own civil war was not all that long ago.

“Perhaps,” Satine said before Obi-Wan could disturb the civility with some dry retort, “if the Jedi Council feels that the Jedi should watch over the Sith, a knight could be stationed here on Mandalore to help guard their prisoner.”

The council murmured fervently.

“I don’t believe the people would like the idea of a Jedi on Mandalore, Your Grace,” a dark-haired woman to Obi-Wan’s left sniffed.

“Perhaps not at first,” Satine tilted her head, “but, in time, I believe that this will help heal the broken relationship between our people and forge a more peaceful alliance.”

Although the advisors did not look happy, none of them contested the duchess, who had pinned them all with a hard stare.

“I will have to discuss this matter with the Council, but I feel that arrangement might be something they are willing to consider.” Obi-Wan gave the room a terse smile.

“Excellent. Before you consult your superiors, Master Kenobi, would you be willing to join me for dinner?” She stood and extended a hand towards a hall off of the throne room.

Obi-Wan swallowed. “Of course, Your Grace.”

She simply nodded and walked towards the hallway. “Good. My chef makes an excellent carbonara that I believe you will enjoy.” 

As Obi-Wan began to follow her, he caught Isatol’s eye from just behind the duchess, fixing him with a meaningful glare. Before he could react, however, the stern woman followed the duchess out of the room, leaving him to ponder what the Captain of the Mandalorian Guard had against him.


	5. The Normally Quiet Dusk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, long time no write. Sorry bout that. consider this Satine-centric chapter my formal apology.

Isatol wasn’t normally a confrontational person. 

As Captain of the Duchess’s personal guard and her unofficial personal companion, the sharp-eyed woman was generally well-liked. She was graceful, trusted, and level-headed in the face of challenges or adversity. However, these qualities did not excuse her from the fact that red, Mandalorian blood was pumping through her veins. Sometimes, she just couldn’t help but feel the wrath of all of her ancestors seeping into her mind and muscles. It was a rare occasion when Isatol became well and truly angry, but, when she did, gods help the fixation of her fury.

Gods help Obi-Wan Kenobi.

It wasn’t that she hated him. In fact, Isatol knew she really had no right to be so angry with the generally pleasant man. That being said, she had seen the pain and heartache he left in his wake. She had seen the scars he had left on Satine’s heart. 

Seeing him sitting there next to her at dinner, chatting pleasantly with the cabinet and gently instructing his young charge, Isatol’s vision grew slightly redder. Again, she knew that she shouldn’t be angry, but as he passed the salt to the tow-headed boy, she couldn’t help but be reminded:

She had seen another thing he had left behind, too.

\-------------

_12 years earlier_

Satine stood on the balcony of what was left of the palace. Smoke drifted up from fires still burning on the streets below, and the normally quiet dusk was interrupted by the sounds of construction crews repairing the dome that protected Sundari from the toxicity of the world outside the capitol. 

She sighed. They were rebuilding, but she knew it would take time. Too much time.

“Milady?”

Satine turned to see her dark-haired cousin standing in the doorway, hands tucked behind her back in a show of impeccable posture. She couldn’t help but smile at the formality.

“Isatol, thank you for coming.” She stepped forward and rested a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “Please, come take a seat.”

After settling opposite each other on the couches in Satine’s quarters, the young duchess took a moment to study the other woman. Besides Bo, Isatol was her oldest friend, which made her trustworthy, but was it right to burden someone she loved with such a task? With such a secret?

Satine’s stomach suddenly rolled, a not-so-gentle reminder that she really didn’t have a choice; Isatol was her best option.

“I need to ask something of you, as a professional.” Satine said with a terse smile.

Isatol nodded, something like relief in her eyes. “Of course, anything you need.”

“My advisors have.... _requested_ ,” Satine tried not to grit her teeth, “that I establish a personal guard force for myself. Although I feel that an entire fleet of people assigned just to protect me is a bit absurd, I do think it would be wise to keep the entire palace protected.” She smiled at her cousin. “So, I’ve decided to establish a Palace Guard and, to appease my cabinet, allow the captain of the guard to serve as my bodyguard. I would have you take on this task, if you would be so willing.”

Isatol’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes lit up. “Absolutely. It would be my honor.”

Satine smiled and clasped Isatol’s hands. “Wonderful! There is no one I trust more.”

Isatol smiled back and squeezed her hands. 

Satine’s suddenly became more serious. “And it is because I trust you more than anyone else that I must now ask something of you as my friend.”

Worry crept into the brunette’s eyes. “As I said before, anything you need.”

The duchess fixed her with a hard look. “You must understand, Isatol, that what I am about to tell you is absolutely secret. No one else knows of this and no one else ever will. Keeping this secret will not be easy for either of us, but, well,” Satine suddenly looked less sure of herself, “I’ve come to realize that this is a burden I can no longer carry alone.”

“Satine?” Isatol’s brows knit together.

Satine took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant, Isatol.”

Her cousin’s eyes widened. “What?”

The young ruler blushed. “Please don’t ask too many questions. I-” she took a deep breath, “I can’t bear to relive all of the memories. Just know that I need to keep this a secret and that...” She drifted off, suddenly looking exhausted.

Isatol swallowed and nodded. “Okay. May I ask how far along you are?”

“About 4 months.”

“Okay. What can I do to help?”

Tears suddenly gathered in Satine’s eyes, and she gripped her friend’s hands harder. “Right now I think I may just need-” She choked on her next words, opting instead to pull Isatol closer. The other woman moved to Satine’s couch and wrapped her arms around the duchess, holding her tight. Satine gripped her back. Though her heart was still heavy, some of the weight had been lifted. 

She was no longer doing this alone.

The next few months took careful planning. Isatol proved to be an excellent strategist, which was a definite reassurement to Satine about her decision to make her cousin in charge of protecting the city. It was Isatol’s idea to gently manipulate the fashion trends into favoring flowing gowns that would easily conceal a pregnancy. It was also her idea to have Satine fake a visit to an outpost outside of the city a few weeks before the baby was due. With the radiation outside of the city, the duchess and her head guard, who was the only member of her staff to supposedly go with her, would have to quarantine themselves for three weeks. This would be enough time for Satine to give birth and settle into motherhood, undisturbed, before presenting her new child to the rest of the world.

The child would be presented, of course, as the son of a previously unknown, recently deceased, older Kryze brother. 

By some miracle Satine and Isatol’s plan worked and, when the time came, Isatol helped Satine deliver Korkie Benjamin Kryze into the world, red-faced and fists clenched. 

“Truly my son,” Satine had laughed, even as she wept. Isatol had simply smiled, unwilling to face the duchess’s wrath by agreeing or disagreeing. 

Korkie was a small boy, but no one dared call him weak. Agile and balanced, even from his first steps, the boy had a lithe grace that was rare in a world of bold, blocky people. Those who met Korkie often said that he had picked up Satine’s gait in his time being raised by his aunt, but Isatol knew that there was something more in the way the boy moved, something that wasn’t Kryze at all.

When Korkie’s toy blocks started floating one afternoon during playtime, Isatol knew exactly who the boy really took after.

Satine and Isatol had never had an explicit conversation about Korkie’s Jedi father, but they still had an unspoken understanding about the matter; Satine knew that Isatol knew, and Isatol knew never to bring the subject up to Satine. The captain had often wondered if Kenobi was aware of the fact that he had fathered offspring; eventually she had come to the conclusion that he had to have sensed such a thing through the Force. How could someone so aware of the life around him not know that he had taken part in creating one.

Thus began Isatol’s deep dislike for the Jedi and her determination to be so cold to the man that had forced her dearest friend to undergo so much pain, heartache, and challenge all alone.

And yet, even as she watched the duchess and the Jedi now, she couldn’t help but notice their flushed cheeks and their lingering glances and wonder if she had been wrong. Was she going to need to revise her opinion of the ginger man? Or did she need to keep an eye on Satine to ensure her emotions didn’t get away from her?

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is loosely based on that one comic where Palpatine takes Padawan Anakin to a bar and a conversation with @cinna-wanroll @wonderlandleighleigh and @dettiot from Tumblr. Some of these chapters will work like interlocking one-shots, but they will all focus on this alternate universe where Sheev is discovered early on. We will experience some time-jumps later on, but everything will still be in chronological order.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
